From the Bosphorus to the Red River

The French writer, Jacques Lacarrière, described Cappadocia as a « premature landscape, as if it had been fossilised before it even came into existence. »

You will travel from the Bosphorus to the banks of the Kizilirmak (« the Red River »), the longest river in Anatolia (1,200 km) which crosses the Cappadocia region.  From the Hittite period, the Kizilirmak (formerly called the Halys) served as a natural border separating different kingdoms.

8 days and 7 nights with full room and board (three meals per day, from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last day) and lodging in 4* and 5* hotels to discover Istanbul and Cappadocia.

The gentle sloping paths you will take are relatively easy ones that have been specially mapped out for the general public, walkers and hikers.

Through the ages, Cappadocia has never ceased to amaze and captivate its visitors with both its landscapes and troglodyte dwellings. This tour combines the pleasure of hiking in the heart of central Anatolia with the discovery of Istanbul’s famous monuments along the shores of the Bosphorus.

You will walk among the fairy chimneys and the picturesque villages of Cappadocia, in landscapes whose lunar aspect is due to the geology of the region and erosion.

Running water, frost and wind have shaped these soft crumbly rocks creating in their paths valleys and gorges of extraordinary natural sculptures: cones, pyramids, fairy chimneys, domes, spires…

Book an unforgettable hot air balloon ride and fly over the stunning Cappadocia landscapes sculpted by geological erosion. Reservations can be made with your guide for an extra charge.

100% customisable programmes.

THREE REASONS FOR CHOOSING AFEL TRAVEL

1. IRREPROACHABLE QUALITY

• Enjoy full board throughout your stay : tour price includes catering from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last day.
• Reap the benefits of small group travel : 18 participants maximum.
• Be accompanied by an experienced bilingual and knowledgeable tour guide. Individual audio-phones for all guided tours will also be provided.
• Delight in the high standards and comfort of the 4* and 5* hotels we have chosen for you.
• Participate in food and wine tastings of local products.

2. ABSOLUTE COMFORT

• Discover Turkey while having fun and relaxing. Our tours are designed to give you just the right amount of time to explore.  Fly from Istanbul to Cappadocia, spend 4 nights in Istanbul and 3 nights in Cappadocia.
• Airlines : Turkish Airlines, Onur Air, Pegasus Airlines, Sun Express.
• Comfortable, spacious and air-conditioned coaches equipped with Wi-Fi.
• Excellent roadway infrastructure, guaranteeing comfortable travel.

3. UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

In addition to the sublime city of Istanbul, you will be captivated by the rocky peak of Uçhisar, the churches of Goreme, and the colourful landscapes of Cappadocia with its villages and valleys.  One of the main highlights is the boat trip on the Bosphorus.

Itinerary

DAY 1 : Flight to Istanbul

Meeting point at your departure airport. Assistance with check-in and boarding of your flight to Istanbul.  Upon arrival, you will be greeted by your guide, then transfer to your hotel. Welcome cocktail before heading to your room.

Accommodation and dinner for 2 nights at the Yasmak Sultan 4*  or similar hotel.

In the fourth courtyard of Topkapi Palace stands the sublime Baghdad Pavilion.  It was built to commemorate Sultan Murad IV’s conquering of Baghdad in 1638.  Its facade is covered with marble inlayed with red porphyry.

DAY 2 : From Emperors to Sultans

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

You will start the day with a visit to Hagia Sophia, one of the most remarkable monuments in the world. Its architecture is an example of the refinement of the Byzantine capital during the sixth century and marked the height of the reign of Emperor Justian I.

Onwards to the Basilica Cistern, an ancient water reservoir and superb Roman hydraulic masterpiece of engineering.

Across from the Hippodrome Square, visit the worldwide famous Blue Mosque, built between 1609 and 1616 for the Sultan Amhet I.  Its six elegant minarets tower over the Sultanahmet Square where sporting, political and cultural activities took place during the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods.

After lunch, you will discover the incredible beauty of the Topkapi Palace; the lavish residence of Ottoman Sultans and ladies of the harem for four hundred years.  Surrounded by five kilometres of ramparts, it stretches over 70 hectares.  In 1985, Unesco inscribed it on the World Heritage list, describing it as «an unmatched assemblage of buildings constructed over four centuries». You will be captivated by its art collections: ceramics, jewellery, silverware, ceremonial furniture, miniatures, weapons and mosaics.

At the end of the day, you will have free time to stroll and shop in the Grand Bazaar.  With its 60 alleys and 4,000 stalls and shops spanning over 30 hectares, it is still the largest indoor market in the world today.

Dinner out in the city and night at the hotel.

Hagia Sophie, the first basilica in Christian history dedicated to «Divine Wisdom».  The current building is the one that Basileus Justinian I decided to build in 532.

DAY 3 : From the Bosphorus to Cappadocia

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

In the morning, after a stroll through the old «han» quarters, you will arrive at the bustling Spice Bazaar, a complex with vaulted ceilings and a multitude of shops under its arches. Breathe in the perfumes of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint and thyme and experience the colours and flavours of the Silk Road.

Afterwards, take a boat trip on the Bosphorus and admire the best views of Istanbul.  Along the strait on both banks, you will pass by the marble palaces of Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi, the beautiful wooden Ottoman mansions (the yali ») and the medieval fortresses.

Lunch and transfer to the airport accompanied by your guide.

Flight to Cappadocia (approximately 60 minutes).

Accommodation and dinner for 3 nights at the  Yunak Evleri or similar hotel.

Visit Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar and enter into a world scents, colours and flavours.  One’s eyes are drawn to the magnificent stalls with their subtle and harmonious shades of colours.

DAY 4 :  The Cave Churches of Cappadocia

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Two whole days will be devoted to discovering Cappadocia, this fantastic land with its lunar landscapes.  A unique region, where nature created a strange and colourful world of columns, needles and cones shaped by the erosion of volcanic tuff.

The colour of the tuff with its various pigments (white, ocher, yellow, beige, grey, pink, purplish) varies according to the rock’s density and chemical composition and can be either in solid blocks of colour or in polychrome layers.  Not only is the natural scenery remarkable here, but in this phantasmagorical environment, our ancestors carved the soft stone to construct houses, stalls, churches, hospitals…

The early Christians painted the walls of their chapels with their own interpretations of the Bible.  These incredibly beautiful frescoes demonstrate the creativity and fervour of their religious beliefs.  In the Goreme Valley open-air museum, you will discover several cave churches: the church of Saint Barbara, the Snake church, the church of the Sandal, the church of the Buckle, and the church of the Apple.

After lunch, you will explore one of the region’s underground towns, an incredible labyrinth on several levels used during times of invasion for the local people to hide in.  In the afternoon, discover the Avcilar and Kiliçlar valleys, with their ancient troglodyte dwellings and fairy chimneys. Onwards, for a stroll through the charming village of Uçhisar.  Its citadel crowns a rocky peak offering a superb panoramic view over the entire region and the Pigeon valley.

Turkish carpet making is an ancestral art and one of the country’s main artisanal industries. This art will be explained during a visit to a renowned carpet factory.

End the day on a majestic note and watch the sun set from the terrace in the midst of the vineyards with a majestic view overlooking the valley.

For centuries, the valleys of Cappadocia were a haven of peace for the early Christians persecuted by the Romans.  Shelters, cavities, and villages were built in tuff.  Troglodyte churches and monasteries as well as underground cities make for a spectacular natural and human heritage.

DAY 5 : Fairy Chimneys

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

In the morning, take a walk along paths and admire the picturesque landscapes of the Cappadocian plateau as far as the Soganli Valley.  Off the beaten track, this valley is surrounded by beautifully decorated troglodyte churches and many unusual dovecotes.

Stop-off and enjoy a barbecue lunch, specially prepared for you by a Cappadocian family.

In the afternoon, at the foot of Mount Melendiz, visit the troglodyte village of Güzelyurt, and discover several Greek churches in the shade of jujube and pistachio trees.  Amidst the scenic old stone houses, participate in a wine tasting of some of the delicious local wines.

Return to the hotel for dinner and the night.

The magical world Cappadocia, land of the first anchorites, with its numerous rock churches, monasteries and cave dwellings. Güzelyurt, a troglodyte village in the midst of fields and at the foot of Mount Melendiz,  is off the beaten track.

DAY 6 : Pastoral Cappadocia

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After breakfast, departure from the hotel to explore the most original valleys.  The morning is devoted to a hike that everyone will be able to manage.   You will start the walk not far from the village of Goreme and continue through a small canyon amidst the most enchanting landscapes.  Along the way, you will visit ancient troglodyte houses carved into the volcanic tuff.

Lunch in a restaurant on the banks of the Kizilirmak, the Red River.  This nickname comes from the colour of its silts and potters use the Kizilirmak clay for its beautiful redness due to the iron oxide pigments.

In the afternoon, transfer to Kayseri airport and flight to Istanbul.

Arrival at Istanbul and transfer to the hotel.

Accommodation and dinner for 2 nights at the  Yasmak Hotel 4* or similar hotel.

A unique and timeless geological planet of striking rock formations, offers the most photogenic views of the Anatolian plateau suspended at an altitude of a thousand metres.

DAY 7 : Cosmopolitan Istanbul

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A whole day to discover cosmopolitan Istanbul.

In the morning, visit the old town districts between the Grand Bazaar, located on one of the seven hills of Istanbul and the port of the Golden Horn.  Both were important trading crossroads for caravaners.

From Constantine Square to the Grand Bazaar, built after the conquest of Istanbul by the Ottomans, visit the Cevahir bedesten and continue on through the Sandal bedesten, originally for brocade traders.  In Ottoman times, the « han » situated around the Grand Bazaar served as inns for the many traders coming to the empire’s capital.  They also housed stalls and workshops.  Visit of Kalci Han, Cebeci Han, Büyük Valide Han and Büyük Yeni Han.

Lunch under the Galata Bridge and enjoy the magnificent view of the Golden Horn and the old town.

Aboard a small boat moored at the Golden Horn, separating the old town from the newer districts, you will sail to the end of the Byzantine ramparts.  Visit of the Panagia de Blachernes Church, the first church built dating back to the 5th century.

Stroll in the typical market of Balat, in the old Jewish quarter. Visit of the Ahrida synagogue, founded in the 15th century and one of the oldest in Istanbul.  On to the Greek Patriarchate, the Greek High School, the Bulgarian Church, the Church of St. Mary of the Mongols, the Gül Cami and Cibalikapi Mosque, one of the city’s oldest gates.

A festive farewell dinner in the famous fisherman’s quarter.

Night at the hotel.

On the right bank of the Golden Horn, the working-class districts of Balat and Fener, formerly inhabited by the Greek and Jewish communities, contain remarkable monuments.

DAY 8 : Return flight home

Breakfast and transfer to Istanbul airport according to your flight schedule.

Assistance with check-in and departure to your destination.

The city’s skyline, with its myriad of slender minarets and small domes.

 

The price includes

✈ International round trip flights.

✈ Domestic flight on the 3rd day Istanbul/Kayseri.

✈ Domestic flight on the 6th day Kayseri/Istanbul.

o Meeting upon your arrival.

o Transfers airport/hotel/airport.

o Assistance from your experienced bilingual guide during the tour.

o Double room accommodation in the assigned hotels or ones of similar standing, hotel luggage porters.

o Full board from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last day.

o Transportation in comfortable vehicles adapted to the size of the group, a window per person.

o Visits and entrance fees to sites and museums mentioned in the programme.

24/7 assistance from our agency.

The price does not include

X Single room supplements.

X Hot air balloon ride : reservations can be made with your guide (extra charge)

X Drinks and personal expenses, tips for the guide and the driver.

X No insurance is included (Afel Travel recommends you purchase travel insurance).